Via Francigena: Bolsena
(a signpost for modern pilgrims at Acquapendente)

Bolsena is Volsinii, an ancient Roman town built near the site of Etruscan Veltzna, which was conquered by the Romans in 265 BC.

Museum of Bolsena: Roman sarcophagus (early IIIrd century AD) found near Bolsena and portraying a bacchanal

The centre of the Roman town was located in the northern part of the current settlement.
Archaeologists have identified the sites of baths, temples, a small theatre and an amphitheatre.
The town gave its name to the volcanic lake near which it was located. In 1991 a small archaeological museum was opened in the castle
(Rocca Monaldeschi della Cervara) to house findings at Bolsena and its environs.

Bolsena is crossed by Via Cassia, the ancient Roman road which during the Middle Ages became known as Via Francigena, because it was utilized by pilgrims from France to reach Rome.Today travellers arriving at Bolsena from the north have a nice first impression of the town. Not so Charles Dickens who in January 1845 spent a night at Bolsena: We came, at dusk, within sight of the Lake of Bolsena, on whose bank there is a little town by the same name, much celebrated for malaria. With the exception of this poor place, there is not a cottage on the banks of the lake, or near it (for nobody dare sleep there); not a boat upon its waters; not a stick or stake to break the dismal monotony of seven-and-twenty watery miles. We were late in getting in, the roads being very bad from heavy rains; and after dark, the dullness of the scene was quite intolerable.

(left) The castle; (right) defensive gates on the street leading to the castle

The castle was built between the XIIth and the XIVth centuries by the Monaldeschi, who were the de-facto rulers of Orvieto and Bolsena. During the XVIth century the
FarneseDukes of Castro tried to annex Bolsena, but their attempt failed.

View from the castle; the red dot indicates the location of Montefiascone

...
Has held the holy Church within his arms;
From Tours was he, and purges by his fasting
Bolsena's eels and the Vernaccia wine.

The pope portrayed by Dante fasting in Purgatory because of his gluttony is Pope Martin IV, who was elected in 1281 after a very turbulent conclave in Viterbo and forced to leave the town because of continuous unrest. He was unable to reach Rome, as
the Romans had supported another candidate and he spent most of his pontificate at Montefiascone and Orvieto, two towns known for their wines where, according to Dante, he banqueted too much.

Evidence of the miracles of St. Christina (left in Grotta di S. Cristina) and of Bolsena (right in Cappella del Miracolo -
painting by Francesco Trevisani)

(left) Coat of arms of Cardinal Giovanni de' Medici; (right) glazed terracottas at Collegiata di S. Cristina (above - Madonna and Child between St. Christina and St. George) and at Oratorio di S. Leonardo (below - St. Leonard between two devotees)

The influence of the Florentine Renaissance shows up in the glazed terracottas on the portals of Collegiata di S. Cristina and Oratorio di S. Leonardo.
St. Christina was portrayed carrying the stone of his martyrdom, although the stone actually saved her. St. Leonard of Noblac was the patron
saint of prisoners and this explains why he was portrayed carrying handcuffs. He became particularly popular among the captives in Muslim hands
after Bohemond I of Antioch claimed to have been released
from a Danishmend prison after he prayed to St. Leonard.

Glazed terracottas: (left) by Giovanni della Robbia (in the lower part coats of arms of Cardinal Giovanni de' Medici and of the City of Bolsena); (right) attributed to Benedetto Buglioni and showing the Miracle of Bolsena in its lower section

The Buglioni were rivals of the better known Della Robbia. Cardinal Giovanni de' Medici did not hesitate to commission glazed terracottas to both workshops.
Other works by the Della Robbia can be seen at S. Maria della Querce, near Viterbo.

The use of glazed terracottas for reliefs and for small sculptures became very popular in the second half of the XVth century, but after the deaths of the last members of the Della Robbia and Buglioni families it almost disappeared.
The many glazed terracottas at the religious complex of S. Cristina are a summary of this type of works of art.

(left) Polyptych by Sano di Pietro, a XVth century painter from Siena; (right) S. Cristina and S. Nicola - school of Pastura,
a XVth century painter from Viterbo

In many Italian churches changes in taste led to replacing paintings which were thought to be naive with new ones.
At Collegiata di S. Cristina luckily this did not occur because during the XVIIth and XVIIIth centuries religious authorities focused
on building Cappella del Miracolo which was decorated with stuccoes and altarpieces in line with the fashion of the time.

Relief of a fountain built by Cardinal Giovanni de' Medici

Cardinal Giovanni de' Medici built a fountain in the centre of the old town which underwent significant changes in the following centuries,
but retains an elegant relief portraying three swans. Doves drinking from a cup were often portrayed in ancient mosaics showing the Three Graces
(see an example at Narlikuyu in Turkey); they then became a Christian symbol
for achieving Divine Grace (see a mosaic at S. Costanza in Rome).
In this relief Cardinal de' Medici had them replaced by swans, a symbol of good fortune according to Virgil, as
reported by Cesare Ripa, the author of a book on iconography.

or else in vain my parents gave me skill
to read the skies. Look up at yonder swans!
A flock of twelve, whose gayly fluttering file,
erst scattered by Jove's eagle swooping down
from his ethereal haunt.

S. Francesco and its portal

WWII bombings damaged this church, but they revealed its original structure beneath later modifications.
It is the main church in the oldest part of Bolsena.